southsider2k5 Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 RIP, and prayers for the family. http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/5/16/3024157/...ckey-dies-at-56 Former White Sox Pitcher Kevin Hickey Dies At 56 By Al Yellon - Editor Kevin Hickey made the White Sox out of a tryout camp. Sadly, he has passed away at a young age. Follow @sbnbaseball on Twitter, and Like Baseball Nation on Facebook. May 16, 2012 - Kevin Hickey is a great baseball story. He grew up on the South Side of Chicago and had no professional baseball experience; in the late 1970s, the White Sox used to have open tryout camps. This is what happened when Hickey went to one of those camps: In 1978, Kevin Hickey was playing center field for a steel mill softball team in Chicago. Then, his work scheduled changed, and a teammate talked him into joining the Markham Cardinals, a semipro baseball team as a catcher. That August, the Chicago White Sox held their annual tryout at Comiskey Park, 3 miles from Hickey`s home. He was the only one of 250 players to receive a contract. Hickey wound up pitching three major league seasons for the White Sox and was part of their 1983 AL West title team; he later pitched three seasons for the Orioles, and for the past several years had been a batting practice pitcher for the White Sox. On April 5, before the White Sox' season-opening game in Texas, Hickey was found unresponsive in his hotel room. He passed away early Wednesday: Lou Canellis @LouCanellis #white sox family lost a good man today, one of my favorite lefties growing up and then a friend later in life, Kevin Hickey RIP 16 May 12 Kevin Hickey was 56 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 I think they knew it was coming. Cooper had 99 on his hat and they had his jersey hanging in the dugout. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flavum Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Man, that really sucks. Seemed full of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigEdWalsh Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Sad day for the southside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 That guy ALWAYS had a smile on his face. I'm sure he'll be missed. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonbluess Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 If there is any silver lining in our recent losses, it's that they have shown us how tight the White Sox family really can be. I've never even heard of him before today, but I'm sad for his loss. When you make an impression on this ballclub via hard work, great numbers & character (BMS), or even a great story, you're a White Sox for life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 I'll always remember him as this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 I remember him pitching, but I didn't realize he was a former 16" player who got on via an open in-town tryout. That's something you'd probably never see happen today. RIP, always seemed like a great guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigEdWalsh Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 I think the coolest thing about his story is that he grew up a hardcore White Sox fan. It was truly a dream come true for him to pitch for the Sox. I remember when he first came up he talked about how it hadn't been that long ago when he was sitting out in the bleachers with his buddies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Just like Johnny Unitas. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flavum Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Jermaine Dye tweeted: We lost a great guy in Kevin Hickey of the @whitesox. Great man to be around and was always around if u needed some BP. #RIP Buddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted May 16, 2012 Author Share Posted May 16, 2012 QUOTE (flavum @ May 16, 2012 -> 02:19 PM) Jermaine Dye tweeted: There are a lot of great tweets from current and former members of this franchise. Hickey was one loved dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxfest Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOXOBAMA Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 RIP Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justBLAZE Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliSoxFanViaSWside Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Didn't he go to St . Rita ? Nice guy rest in peace Kev just a few years older then me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Chappas Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Must Read http://www.suntimes.com/sports/12569512-46...dies-at-56.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliSoxFanViaSWside Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ May 17, 2012 -> 11:20 AM) Must Read http://www.suntimes.com/sports/12569512-46...dies-at-56.html Thank you so much for posting that. It is a great read. I hope more people who love the Sox read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ May 17, 2012 -> 11:20 AM) Must Read http://www.suntimes.com/sports/12569512-46...dies-at-56.html Must Read Indeed -- what a great, great story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliSoxFanViaSWside Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 (edited) QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ May 18, 2012 -> 03:32 PM) Must Read Indeed -- what a great, great story. For anyone who grew up in the inner city, played 16 inch softball, threw a rubber ball against a brick wall, is Irish, or had strings pulled for them in the true Chicago way it's a great story. I can relate to all of it. I'm pretty sure my dad knew the Hickey's if there were any firemen or cops in his family. Edited May 19, 2012 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justBLAZE Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Wow what a great story indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Double uniform patches now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Hanging in the dugout tonight: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quin Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 22, 2012 -> 05:13 PM) Double uniform patches now That's depressing. But classy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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